RAF destroys command and control facilities in Libya

This news article was published under
the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

RAF Tornados destroy command and control facilities of pro-Gaddafi forces in Libya before launching successful strikes on armoured vehicles and anti-aircraft artillery.

The attacks, on Tuesday 20 September 2011, were carried out at three different locations across western and central Libya by a Royal Air Force armed reconnaissance patrol as part of NATO’s efforts to enforce UN Security Council Resolution 1973.

During the afternoon, another formation of RAF Tornados was tasked by NATO to mount a precision strike on a military vehicle depot which had been identified near Hun. This proved another successful mission; their Paveways destroying the installation with a number of direct hits.

Major General Nick Pope, the Chief of the Defence Staff’s Communications Officer, said:

British forces were again in action yesterday over Libya, as part of NATO’s Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR.

“Early on Tuesday morning, a Royal Air Force armed reconnaissance patrol carried out successful attacks on Gaddafi’s troops in three different locations across western and central Libya.

At Bani Walid, they destroyed a command and control facility which had been identified by NATO surveillance operations, then proceeded south east to the area of Hun, over 200 miles [322km] away, and demolished a second such headquarters, again using Paveway guided bombs.

The Tornado GR4s next headed some 160 miles [258km] north to prosecute a third target, this time in Sirte: a former school which had been commandeered by Gaddafi’s men as a base for armoured vehicles and anti-aircraft artillery. Paveway bombs destroyed the military targets at the site.

Since the start of military operations on 19 March, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Army Air Corps strikes have damaged or destroyed more than 970 former regime targets that presented a threat to the Libyan people.